Well, the Beaumont is empty because Camelot was originally slated for the fall. Hopefully they still find something for the fall, but it’s not surprising that they wouldn’t have something ready to announce at this point.
As for the Music Box and the Schoenfeld: I have to wonder if the September closings dates for CFA and DEH made it harder for other shows to book it? We could still see something be scheduled for October/November/December, but if any prospective shows wanted to begin previews in September, those 2 theatres are off the table.
As for the rest of the theatres, I can’t say I’m too surprised, as they’ve all had trouble retaining tenants in recent years, whether due to the size of the theatre, the geographical location, or just bad luck. In particular, I can understand producers wanting to stay away from the Broadway and the Lunt.
The Imperial does seem more palatable on paper: it’s smaller than the Broadway, with a shape that makes it feel more intimate than the Lunt (despite being similarly sized), and has a better location than the Nederlander. But it’s still large, and its recent track record still isn’t great.
Studio 54 has had a few hits in recent years, both in terms of the rentals, and some of Roundabout’s productions that have sold well. But I still think a lot of shows there struggle, possibly due to the location. If I were a producer, it wouldn’t be my first choice either. Not sure what’s up with Roundabout – they’ve only announced 1 Broadway show for their season, so maybe they still have a play planned for Studio 54. |
